ISLAMABAD, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Tuesday that the imposition of emergency and the promulgation of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) was neither intended to delay the elections nor to slow down the democratic process in the country.

    In his speech at the meeting of the federal cabinet here Tuesday, Aziz said that it was primarily intended to address the extra ordinary security situation prevailing in Pakistan, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and in certain settled districts of North West Frontier Province (NWFP)including Swat as well as creating harmony between the pillars of the state: legislature, judiciary and executive.

    Explaining the circumstances leading to the imposition of emergency, Aziz said that no country could be governed effectively unless there is harmony amongst all the three pillars of the state and they function independently within their constitutional mandate.

    Unfortunately, he said, the constitutional writ of the government was damaged through various actions which made governance difficult. It was affecting the economy too, he said.

    Aziz reaffirmed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's and his own complete belief in the independence of the judiciary and said that they had the greatest of regard and respect for the judiciary.

    During the meeting, the Cabinet fully endorsed the action taken by Musharraf on Nov. 3 and expressed the confidence that it would put the democratic process on track and in fact facilitate the holding of general elections and early transition to full democracy.

    The cabinet also endorsed the president's commitment for early completion of the third and final phase of the democratic process which he initiated after assumption of power.

    The cabinet also fully supported the president's reelection which the prime minister said was backed by 57 percent of the electoral college which included elected representatives from all the four provinces of Pakistan.